1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to N-halothio-sulfonamide-modified non-rubbery thermoplastic polyolefins and a process for their preparation.
2. Description of Information Disclosures
Non-rubbery thermoplastic polyolefins are well known. The term "thermoplastic", with reference to polyolefins, is used herein to denote materials which can be molded or otherwise shaped and reprocessed at temperatures above their melting or softening point. By the term "non-rubbery" with reference to the polyolefins is intended herein a polyolefin having an initial tensile modulus (i.e., modulus of elasticity) and a crystallinity which do not fall within the ranges of modulus of elasticity and crystallinity of rubbery polymers. Thus, rubbery polymers generally have an initial tensile modulus ranging from 10.sup.-3 to 10.sup.0 kg/mm.sup.2 and a percentage crystallinity in the range of 0 to 35 weight percent. R. J. Hopper U.S. Pat. No(s). 3,915,907, 3,970,133 and 4,820,780, the teachings of which are hereby incorporated by reference, disclose chlorothiosulfonamide-modified terpolymers of ethylene, a higher alpha olefin and a non-conjugated diene. The desirability and advantages of these modified rubbery terpolymers were also disclosed in articles authored or co-authored by R. J. Hopper (Rubber Chemistry and Technology, vol. 49, pages 341-352, 1976) and International Conference on Advances in Stabilization and Controlled Degradation of Polymers, Lucerne, Switzerland, May, 23-25, 1984.
Improvement of the physical and dynamic properties of thermoplastic polyolefins are still sought and are of practical importance. For example, the introduction of polar functionality into a polyolefin, which is by its nature non-polar, may provide sites for the anchoring of additives and coloring agents to the polymer. Such additives are normally added as non-polymeric molecules, which may diffuse out of or leach out of the polymer. This deficiency is overcome by the anchoring of an additive to a polar site bound to the polymer. When a non-rubbery thermoplastic polyolefin polymer has a high propylene content (e.g., higher than 80 weight percent), the functionality may be useful for crosslinking the polymer for use in electrical coatings. The modified thermoplastic polymer products of the present invention are expected to be particularly useful in the plastics industry.
It has now been found that the reaction of a N-halothiosulfonamide with non-rubbery thermoplastic polyolefins will produce N-halothiosulfonamide-modified thermoplastic polyolefin reaction products having improved properties.